Three Debts Paid by Anne Perry

Author:Anne Perry
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HeadlinePublisher
Published: 2021-08-11T17:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

Miriam was working hard in the morgue laboratory. Dr Eve had come in late that morning, which was most unlike her. Miriam thought for a moment whether to ask her if she were all right, and then drew in breath to do so. She glanced at Eve’s face and decided against it.

The first job was to examine the body of a very stout man who had apparently died of a heart attack. Miriam had already looked at him and made preliminary notes. She had done so with the help of their laboratory assistant, Joe. He was a young man with the strength to move and lift bodies when necessary, as well as the dedication to do whatever was asked of him, no matter how busy he was, or how curt the instruction.

Miriam and Eve set to work, the room silent except for the necessary words of request.

‘Heart attack,’ Miriam said at last.

Eve looked at her enquiringly.

‘It’s just a matter of confirming it,’ Miriam insisted.

‘Or not!’ Eve said tersely. ‘What did they tell us about him?’

Miriam recited the notes from the doctors who had been in attendance.

‘So, what do they expect from us?’ Eve asked. ‘Afraid it’s something else, but they don’t know what? Who is he, anyway?’ She looked at the corpse with distaste. ‘How long do you intend to stand and stare at him?’

Miriam was about to explain, but saw the pallor of Eve’s face and picked up the scalpel. She regarded the corpse for a moment and began to cut.

The silence continued, apart from her comments for Joe, who made notes while Miriam worked.

For half an hour, Miriam examined, weighed and measured, speaking only when describing what she was seeing.

Eve watched, but she did not speak.

Miriam turned her attention to examining the organs. The liver was enlarged, damaged, but she had expected that. There was nothing remarkable about it.

‘Why would the doctors want this done?’ Miriam asked finally, referring to the autopsy.

‘Just to make sure they didn’t miss anything,’ Eve replied. ‘They presumed the cause of death is a heart attack, but want us to say so. Did you test for poison?’

‘What?’

‘I asked if you tested for poison.’

‘No, I—’

‘Good,’ Eve interrupted. ‘It would be a waste of time. Perfectly natural causes, as you said. Now, let’s get on to something useful.’

‘Cup of tea?’ Joe suggested.

‘No!’ Eve snapped, and then changed her mind. ‘Yes,’ she said brusquely, then turned and walked out of the laboratory and into one of the storerooms.

Miriam glanced at Joe, then followed Eve into the storeroom, where she found her leaning over the bench, her head low. Miriam felt a twinge of real fear. Her instinct was to protect, to comfort, but she knew Eve would not accept it. The scientist could not afford to be vulnerable, least of all in her own estimation. What was the right thing to say? What did she need?

Miriam did not dare to think what it might be. She had always thought of Eve Hall as not only unbeatable, but indestructible.

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